Lifesaving device, swimming machine, and the like



Jan. 30, 1945. J. 5. REEVES 2,368,569,

LIFESAVING DEVICE, SWIMMING MACHINE, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 18, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet l may;

Jan. 30, 1945. a REEVES 2,368,569

LIFESAVING DEVICE, SWIMMING MACHINE, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 18, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jb/lfl/ ieeeves.

Jan. 30, 1945. J. s. REEVES 2,368,569

LIFESAVING DEVICE; SWIMMING MACHINE, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 18, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan.- 30, 1945. J. s. REEVES 2,358,569

LIFESAVING DEVICE, SWIMMING MACHINE, AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 18, 1943 Jb/uz/ SQReevee Patented Jan. 30, 1945 LIFESAVI'NG DEVICE, SWIMMING MACHINE,

LIKE

, 'John s. ReevesrBaltimore, Md.

Application January 18, 1943, Serial No. 472,7 1

161Claims. (01. 9-18) This invention relates to devices capable of supporting a person in the water and more particularly to a device of this type which is adapted for use as a lifesaving device, as an aid in learn-- ing to swim or in practicing swimming, or as a means for increasing the enjoyment of swimming, water sports and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the type-characterized above having a novel design and construction which provides for the comfort and insures the safety of the user, regardless of his ability to swim,

while at the same time it afiords a means of travel through the water.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type with propelling means which can be operated by foot and leg motion in accordance with the crawl stroke.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type wherein movement through the water is produced by motion ofthe feet of the user.

- either after the manner of a bicycle or accorda ing to the conventional crawl stroke. A further object is to provide such a device .in

which the support for the user is articulated to the float means in such a way that the position or attitude of the user is substantially unaffected by irregular motion of the fioats' in the water,

. and at the same time the user is supported with his head above water regardless of the position i7 is a sectional view showing the and propelling mechanism; I

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the driving mechanism at right angles to the plane of Fig'f'l Fig. 9 shows the use of the driving pedals in driving positions in which the foot movement of the user corresponds to the crawl stroke; 7 Fig.1!) is a detail View illustrating a gear shifti-ng device as described hereinafter;'

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate the: combination of a plurality of units for team swimming; and'fl "13 is a detail of a connectingdevice suitable for assembling the units.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus comprises'a suitable float means which. in. the

form shown consists of spaced iioats or DOntoons ll which are described in detail hereinafter.

Intermediate the .floats u is a framework of any suitable type for supporting the body ofthe user,

hereinafter referred to as' the swimmer, and also carrying the .drivingand. propelling .mechanism to be described hereinafter. ,'Pr.eferably this Other objects will appear more fully hereinafter as the description of the invention proceeds. p

One embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be expresslyunde'rstood that said drawings 'are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be taken as an indication of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the drawings, I

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the positions of theapparatus and theattitude of the body of the swimmer in treading water, swimming under water and swimming onthe surface, respectively; Fig. 4 is a front view showing the use of the apparatus for swimming on the surface;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of, the apparatus:;.

Fig. 6 is a view. of the bottom of one of the float members;

framework is articulated between the floats. ,Il

in such a way that theswimmer is, suspended therebetween and the. body of the swimmer is free to assume the various positions or attitudes shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 relative to the floats, while movement of the floats on the water, does not affect the position of the swimmer. In the form shown, these ends are accomplished byproviding each of the floats H with pivotal 'connec% tions 12 for the upper ends of members l3 which swing in downwardly opening slots l4 in the floatsand, together with a connecting piece I5, form a substantially U.-shaped support. A-longitu'dinally extending member 16; which may form a tubular casing for part of the .driving mechae nism zas-described hereinafter, is articulated to the support l5 at II, this ,membercarryi-ng a chest rest 48 for the body of the swimmer and also the driving and propelling mechanism. -A

suitable harness comprising waistbands' I9 andby movement of the floats on the surface of the:

water. On thev other hand, .the swimmer is suspended between the fioats atsuch a point and in such a way that the natural tendency is to main,

tain his head above water at all times, regardless of the position which the floats may assume.

Thusv while the weight of the body and mechaas to raise the head of the swimmer.

--nism tends to hold the support l3, 15 vertical, it

is so disposed that it tends to swing the support I 6 about the pivots l! in such a direction Moreover. foot movement of the swimmer operates the propelling mechanism described hereinafter which is so located and arranged as to increase the moment tending to swing the support 16 in this direction, and if continued tends also to swing the support 15 about its pivots toward the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1. All of these tendencies are thus coordinated to raise the head of the swimmer out of the water and to insure his safety.

For coordination of the motion of the floats and as an aid in managing the apparatus, the floats may, if desired, be connected together by a. bar 2| having down-turned ends which fit into sockets-in the float members at 22. The floats are also preferably provided with keels 23, and with horizontal flns 24 which aid in maintaining the floats horizontal in the water or can be used as diving fins for swimming under water as illustrated in Fig. 2. Preferably the floats are controlled by the hands of the swimmer and to this end the fins 24 may conveniently be provided with one or more hand grip openings 25.

To enable travel through the water, a suitable propelling device such as the propeller 26 and associated driving mechanism operable by the feet of the swimmer are carried by the longitudinal supportin member it, which also carries the chest rest 18 so that the alignment of the driving apparatus with the body of the swimmer is maintained at all times. The propeller 26 may be drivingly connected in any suitable way with a pedal operated driving unit, such as described hereinafter, but is preferably arranged so that its forward thrust is transmitted to the member l6 at a point forward of the pivots IT in order to maintain the desired turning momentabout these pivots as described above. For the same reason, the thrust of the propeller is preferably transmitted to the member H at a point well forward of the pivots I! with the line of thrust inclined somewhat upwardly. In the form shown, the propeller shaft 21 rotates in a tubular casing 28 which is supported from the tubular casing l6 by means of a strap 29 and is inclined upwardly toward the forward end of the member IS. A drive shaft 30 operated by the driving unit is rotatably mounted in the casin IS, the forward ends of the shafts 21 and 30 carrying meshing bevel gears 3| and 32 respectively. Preferably and in order to obtain further support for the propeller shaft, the ends of the shafts 2'! and 30 terminate in a common two-part casing 33, 34 which houses the gears 31 and 32.

The pedal-operated driving unit is designed in such a way as to enable the propeller 26 to be driven by movement of the feet of the swimmer either after the manner of a bicycle or according to the usual crawl stroke. For ordinary purposes the pedals 35 are diametrically opposed to each other and are driven in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 by the feet of the swimmer in the same way as the pedals of a bicycle are operated. For use in swimming by the crawl motion, on the other hand, one of the pedals 35 must be displaced angularly through 180 so that both pedals have the same angular position as illustrated in Fig. 9, and the pedals are then operated by the kicking motion of the swimmers legs, the pedals oscillating about the axis of the driving unit instead of rotating continuously in one direction. Hence it is necessary in this case to provide one-way driving connections between the pedals 35 and the propeller 26 so that the propeller is driven in only one direction of oscillation of the pedals about said axis.

Furthermore, it will be apparent from consideration of Fig. 3 that if the pedals 35 drive the propeller on the upward kick of the swimmers legs, the operative direction of pedal rotation is counterclockwise as in the case of bicycle oper ation. On the other hand, if the propeller is driven by the downward kick of the swimmers legs, the operative direction of pedal rotation (clockwise) is opposite to that of bicycle operation. Hence if the downward kick of the legs is to be utilized, the apparatus must be capable of rotating the propeller in the same direction in both cases, in spite of the reversal of direction of rotation of the pedals.

Inasmuch as the downward kick of the swimmers legs is the eifective power kick in the crawl stroke, it is preferred to utilize this leg movement in the present apparatus, and to this end I have shown herein a driving unit which embodies not only the necessary one-way driving connections as explained above, but also means whereby the same direction of rotation of the propeller 26 from the pedals 35 is obtained in both methods of operation. In the form shown, this driving unit comprises a two-part casing 36, 31 which houses a pedal driven gear 38, and the casing part 31 is" provided with an angularly directed part closed by a plate 39 which receives the end of the tubular casing IS, the casing housing a bevel gear 49 on the end of the shaft 30 which meshes with the pedal driven-driven bevel gear 38.

The driven gear 38 has a central bore in which independent pedal hubs 4| rotate, these hubs being separated from each other by a washer 42 and drivingly connected with the gear 38 by means of rollers 43 which form an overrunning clutch mechanism as illustrated in Fig. I. The pedal hubs 45 also carry gear disks 44 on the outer sides of the gear 38, the peripheries of which are provided with gear teeth. These gears 44 rotate in recesses in the faces of the gear 38 the peripheries of which are provided with'gear teeth forming internal ring gears 45. On each side of the gear 38, one or more pinions 46 (here shown as four in number) are adapted to mesh between the gear disks 44 and the internal ring gears 45, thesepinions 46 being mounted slidably on pivot pins 4! carried by the casing parts 36, 31.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 8, the rotation of the diametrically opposite pedals in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 drives the bevel gear 38 in the opposite or clockwise direction through the pinions 46 and the rotation of gear 38 is transmitted through gear 40, shaft 36, gears 32 and M and shaft 2! to rotate the propeller 26 in the proper direction corresponding to its pitch. The propeller 2B is thu driven by the feet of the swimmer after the manner of a bicycle. When it is desired to shift the operation as described above and. to use the apparatus as a swimming device according to the crawl stroke, the pinions 46 may be pulled outwardly on their pivot pins 41 to disconnect the gear disks 44 from the internal ring gears 45. The driving connection between the pedals and the gear 38 is now provided by the overrunning clutch rollers 43 and the clockwise rotation of accuses the. pedals now drives the gear .38 in the same,

clockwise direction as before, while at the same time free oscillation of the pedals in the counterclockwise direction. is permitted. The latter feature also enables the free displacement of either or both of the pedals 35 in a'counterclockwise direction to the proper angular position for swim ming as shown in Figure 9. The upward kick of the swimmers legs is thus free, while the downward or power kick of the swimmers legs drives the propeller 2-5 in the proper direction.

Any suitable means may be provided for shift ing the pinions 46 into and out of meshing-position, and while they may be moved individually, it i preferred to provide a. common control means for shifting all of said pinions on both sides of the gear into and out of mesh simultaneously. In the form shown, this result is accomplished by gear operating members 48 slidably mounted in the casing walls and having forked end-s45 which engage in grooves on the pinions 45,, springs 53 normally tending to maintain the pinions in meshing position. The outer ends of the members 48v extend through slots in cam rings 52 and are provided with heads SO engaged by the outer cam surface 54 of the cam rings to pull the pin ions 46 out ofmeshing'position when the camrings are rotated. Preferably the cam rings are suitably connected, as by means of a strap extension 55 on one ring which is connected to an operating arm or handle 55 on the other ring by means T01 bolts 51. Thus rotation of the operating hand-le'ib in one direction simultaneously pulls all of the pinions 46 out of meshing position, whereas the return of the operating handle 53 in the other direction releases the pinions and permits the springs 53to urge them into mesh between the gears M and 45.

It may be desirable, especially when the device is used for lifesaving purposes, to provide a shield which protects the head of theswin'imer both from the weather and also from attack from the air, and to this end a shield 58 (Fig. 4) maybe mounted on the apparatus in any suitable manher, as by means of interengaging pins on the shield and sockets 59 on the floats l l.

' drivingmechanism may be correspondingly simoperation may not. be needed, and conversely: the crawl stroke operation may not be necessary in all cases, so that under such circumstances the his safety. 1

While only one embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated in the draw ings, it is to be expressly understood. that said embodiment is by way of example onl and that he invention is not restricted to the design, de tails of construction and arrangement of the parts described above, as various changes therein will now occur to those skilled in the art which are within'the spiritof the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definitionof the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is: s Y

.1. Apparatus of .the classdescribed comprissing float means, a support for the body of the swimmer which is articulated to said float means about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of the swimmer, said support being movable about said axis of articulation so that the bodymay assume varioils positions relative to said float means, propelline means carriedon said Support, and means carr-ied by said support and operable by the feet of the swimmer to drive said propel n means. id

axis being transverse to the direction of p'ropuL' support being articulated to the floats about a If desired, a number of units such as described above may be assembled in a single apparatus for team swimming or competition, etc., as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. To this end the parts l3 and 15 may be detachably connected together by any suitable device such as that shown in Fig, 13, wherein the ends of members I 3 and 15 are pinned normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of the swimmer so that the body may assume various positions relative thereto, propelling meansloarried by said support; and means carried by said support'and operable by the feet of the swimmer to drive said propelling means, said axis being transverse to. the direction or otherwise secured to connecting members 5.9,

and the ends of an elbow piece 5! are similarly see cured to connecting members 62, the members and 62 being locked together by nuts 63. By breakin these connections, and removing the parts l3 and floats H, any desired number of units may be assembled by connecting their supporting members I5 together in a straight line as shown in Fig. 11. Also a framework 64 may extend to the rear for connecting one or more teaching beginners to swim, or in practicing the crawl stroke. or in the physical conditioning of swimmers, etc. For the latter purposes, bicycle oi propulsion of said apparatus;

3.. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pair of floats, a U-shaped support having its ends articulated to said floats about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of the swimmerwhereby the body is suspended between the floats and may asslime various positions relative thereto, propelling means carried by said support, and means carried by said support and operable by the feet of the swimmer to drive said propellingmeans. 1

4. Apparatus of the class described co'mprising float means, a support for the body of a swimmer which is articulated to said float means about a normally horizontal axis extending transg .versely with respect to the body of the swimmer, said support being movable about said axis of articulation so that the body may assume various positions relative to said float means, and propelling mechanism pivotally mounted on said support and comprising a propelling device and means operable by the feet of the swimmer to drive said device. 1

. 5,. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a support articulated to said float means about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of a swimmer, propelling mechanism. pivotally mounted on said support on an axis substantially parallel to said first axis and comprising a propelling device and means operable by the feet of the swimmer to drive said device, and a support for the body of the swimmer carried by said propelling mechanism.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a vertical support articulated to said float means about a, normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of a swimmer, a horizontal support for the body of the swimmer articulated to said vertical support about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis, and propelling and driving mechanism carried by said horizontal support, the weight of said mechanism being disposed so that it normally tends to swing the forward end of said horizontal support upwardly about its point of articulation to said vertical support and thereby to maintain the head of the swimmer above water.

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a vertical support articulated to said float means about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of a swimmer, a horizontal support for the body of the swimmer articulated to said vertical support about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis, and propelling and driving mechanism carried by said horizontal support, comprising a propelling device exerting a forward thrust on said horizontal support and thereby tending to swing said vertical support forwardly and upwardly aboutits point of articulation to said float means.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a vertical support articulated to said float means about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body' of a swimmer, a horizontal support for the body of the swimmer articulated to said vertical support about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis, and propelling and driving mechanism carried by said horizontal support, comprising a propelling device exerting a forward and upward thrust on said horizontal support at a point forward of its point of articulation to said vertical support and thereby tending to swing the forward end of said horizontal support upwardly about its point of articulation to said vertical support and said vertical support forwardly and upwardly about its point of articulation to said float means.

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a support for the body of a swimmer carried by said float means, a propelling device carried by said support, and means for driving said device carried by said support and comprising a pair of pedals operable by the feet of the swimmer and dual driving connections between said pedals and said device, one of said connections being operable by continuous rotation of said pedals in one direction as in a bicycle and the other of said connections being operable by oscillation of said pedals by movement of the feet of the swimmer corresponding to the crawl stroke.

10. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a support for the body of a swimmer carried by said float means, a propelling device carried by said support, and means for driving said device carried by said support and comprising a pair of pedals operable by the feet of the swimmer and movable to diametrically opposite or to the same angular positions, driving connections between said device. and said pedals when in diametrically opposite positions, and oneway driving means operable in said driving connections when said pedals are in the same angular positions.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a support for the body of a swimmer carried by said float means, a propelling device carried by said support, and means for driving said device carried by said support and comprising a pair of pedals operable by the feet of the swimmer and movable to diametrically opposite or to the same angular positions, and driving connections between said device and said pedals including a driving unit operable by said pedals in either of said positions, said unit comprising a driven gear, independent hub members driven by said pedals, one-way driving means interposed between each hub member and said driven gear, and gear means interposable into mesh between said hub members and said driven gear.

12. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a support for the body of a swimmer carried by said float means, a propelling device carried by said support, and means for driving said device carried by said support and comprising a pair of pedals operable by the feet of the swimmer and movable to diametrically opposite or to the same angular positions, and driving connections between said device and said pedals including a driving unit operable by said pedals in either of said positions, said unit comprising a driven gear having acentral bore, independent pedal hubs rotatable in said bore, independent overrunning clutch means interposed between each of said pedal hubs and said bore, gears coaxial with and rotatable said said pedals on both sides of said driven gear, internal ring gears on both sides of said driven gear, and pinions one movable into meshing position between each of said ring gears and its associated pedal driven gear.

13. .Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a support for the body of a swimmer carried by said float means, a propelling device carried by said support, and means for driving said device carried by said support and comprising a pair of pedals operable by kicking movement of the feet of the swimmer, and oneway driving connections between each of said pedals and said device for driving said device on rotation of either pedal in one direction while permitting free movement of said pedals in the opposite direction.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprisiri'g float means, a support for the body of a swimmer carried by said float means, a propelling device carried by said support, and means for driving said device carried by said support and comprising a pair of pedals operable by kicking movementof the feet of the swimmer, and oneway driving connections between each of said pedals and said device for driving said device on rotation of either pedal by kicking movement of the swimmers feet in the downward direction while permitting free movement of said pedals in the opposite direction.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a plurality of individual supports for the bodies of swimmers which are connected together in a frame work articulated to of said supports comprising propelling means operated by the feet of the swimmer to propel said framework through the water.

16. Apparatus of the class described comprising float means, a vertical support artioulated to said float means about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the body of a swimmer, a horizontal support for the body of the swimmer articulated to said vertical support about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis, propelling and driving mechanism carried by said horizontal support and comprls-' ing a propelling device exerting a forward thrust on said horizontal support and thereby tending to swing said vertical support forwardly and upwardly about its point of articulation to said float means, and substantially horizontal fins on said float means whereby said apparatus can be propelled forwarding under water when sufi'icient forward speed is maintained.

JOHN S. REEVES. 

